The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-12-21
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
Merino Sheep and the Situation.

The situation Of sheep husbandry in
the United States is of unusual in
Lerest Just now. The price OF WOO!
has been so low for four years that
sheep-raiscrs, as rule, have been at
their wits end 10 find any profit in
wool growing. Yet at the worst there
has been as much pay in the business
as in any one product of the farm.
Sheep raising has paid as well as cat
tie raising, where proper attention has
been given to the flock.
Feeding sheep for the meat market.
in well systemalizad methods, has been
more profitable and much more GER
lain in its results than feeding cattle.
Wheat raising, TO which much atten-
ton and vast areas in the West have
been given, has been as slow way
of getting rich as sheep raising.
Many in the agricultural States of the
North have given up sheep and tried
dairying Their success has not been
what was expected. Many wish they
had slaid with their flock. which they
knew how to handle. Many sheep.
raisers have tried new methods OF
feeding. In the wheat-growing re-
gions wheat straw has become largely
auxiliary to the feed rations as
cheap and valuable roughncss. Bar
ley sprouts have been largely used
when conveniently near to the farm.
Gluten meal, too, has served as a
cheap and valuable help In many
instances. Bean straw and damaged
beans, as picked out by hand prepar-
atory for the market, have been highly
esteemed where they could be gotten.
Flocks in the white. bean-raising re-
gions of New York have been win
tered on them, so far as grain feed
was desired. and with the best results.
Bran has been largely used rs mixed
feed with corn, oats, barley, peas,
beans and roots, and in some instances
bran with ground oats or corn. on
ration of ensilage, has been found to
be most complete feed. Some flocks
have given best results from feed of
bran and pulped beets in connection
with good hay.
As the results of the dull times and
low pri ,es these cheeper feeds and
other variations have greatly lessened
the cost price of raising sheep and
wool. The profitable use of wheat
straw has lessened the cost of wheat
raising greatly, and likewise reduced
the expense of keeping sheep. Each
years straw has been thus manufact-
ured into meat, wool and manure.
which is carefully returned to the land,
gre atty aiding in keeping up fertility
of the farm.
There has been an idea that unless
the price of wool improved soon there
would lie general stampede out of
the business. The facts are that there
is stronger faith in the industry
than has been tod. Sheepmen who
understand themselves have stood
firm. Many of them have taken good
care of their sheep. with a steady,
liberal hand. feeling they had as good
an industry as any body had. and
though depressed, they were not
alone.
There has come to our sheep-raisers
an idea of diversifying, modifying
and changing from so much wool to
moro mutton. In Michigan and Ohio
many common Merino Aocks have
been crossed with Southdown, Shrop-
shire and Cotswold rams, for the pur-
pose of raising larger sheep with a
middle wool, that brings moro price
and not so much less weight of fleece.
The fleece is somewhat lighter. but
the price is moro per pound, making
the fleece value as much. Farm and
Fireside.